Malaria Awareness : By Adaeze Kiana Azubuike .(Arise Africa.)
Pregnant women are very much at risk of contracting malaria. If a pregnant woman is infected with Malaria
It might be very risky for the baby in her womb.
Signs and Symptoms:
Control: The control and eradication of malaria demands a multifaceted approach. No one tool alone can defeat the parasite. An arsenal of tools tailored to the needs on the ground is required. At present we have a range of good tools, including insecticide spraying and long-lasting insecticide-treated bed nets help to prevent the transmission of the infection via the mosquito vector. But no preventative strategy is 100% effective – there will always be cases that slip through the net. The current WHO-recommended first-line treatment for the majority of malaria cases is artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACT). These medicines, in addition to diagnostics, are available to treat and in some cases prevent malaria. Nevertheless, gaps in our armory remain. In the context of reported emergence of artemisinin resistance and the need to treat a range of patients, new medicines are needed.
Long-term prophylaxis via vaccination is challenging. The most advanced malaria vaccine candidate is currently in clinical trials and will hopefully be available in the coming years.
Treatment :A new drug being tested is showing promise. The drug (+)-SJ733 reduced the number of malaria parasites by 80% within 24 hours and completely eliminated them within 48 hour in mice experiments. Because the drug works so quickly, it could reduce the chances of parasites developing drug resistance. The first clinical trials have started to test its effectiveness in humans. NITD246, similar to the drug (+)-SJ733, is already in clinical trials.
The 4 major drug classes currently used to treat malaria
include quinoline-related compounds, antifolates, artemisinin
derivatives, and antimicrobials. No single drug that can eradicate all
forms of the parasite's life cycle has been discovered or manufactured
yet. Therefore, 1 or more classes of drugs often are given at the same
time to combat malarial infection synergistically. Treatment regimens
are dependent on the geographic location of infection, the likely Plasmodium species, and the severity of disease presentation.
Beware of counterfeit antimalarial drugs Beware of counterfeit antimalarial drugs being taken by patients that may have been purchased via the Internet. They may not contain any active ingredients at all and may contain dangerous materials.
Antipyretics, such as acetaminophen or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), are indicated to reduce the level of discomfort caused by the infection and to reduce fever. NSAIDs should be used with caution if bleeding disorder or hemolysis is suspected.
Antimalarials can cause significant prolongation of the QT interval, which can be associated with an increased risk of potentially lethal ventricular dysrhythmias. Patients receiving these drugs should be assessed for QT prolongation at baseline and carefully monitored if this is present. Patients with normal QT intervals on electrocardiogram (ECG) may not be at a significantly increased risk for drug-induced dysrhythmia, but caution is advised, particularly if the patient is taking multiple drug regimens or if he or she is on other drugs affecting the QT interval.
Methemoglobinemia is a complication that may be associated with high-dose regimens of quinine or the derivatives chloroquine and primaquine.[23] A patient presenting with cyanosis and a normal PaO2 on room air should be suspected of having methemoglobinemia.
Prevention
Beware of counterfeit antimalarial drugs Beware of counterfeit antimalarial drugs being taken by patients that may have been purchased via the Internet. They may not contain any active ingredients at all and may contain dangerous materials.
Antipyretics, such as acetaminophen or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), are indicated to reduce the level of discomfort caused by the infection and to reduce fever. NSAIDs should be used with caution if bleeding disorder or hemolysis is suspected.
Antimalarials can cause significant prolongation of the QT interval, which can be associated with an increased risk of potentially lethal ventricular dysrhythmias. Patients receiving these drugs should be assessed for QT prolongation at baseline and carefully monitored if this is present. Patients with normal QT intervals on electrocardiogram (ECG) may not be at a significantly increased risk for drug-induced dysrhythmia, but caution is advised, particularly if the patient is taking multiple drug regimens or if he or she is on other drugs affecting the QT interval.
Methemoglobinemia is a complication that may be associated with high-dose regimens of quinine or the derivatives chloroquine and primaquine.[23] A patient presenting with cyanosis and a normal PaO2 on room air should be suspected of having methemoglobinemia.
Prevention
Other steps that may be helpful in reducing the risk of malaria include using air conditioning and electric fans, wearing protective clothing, using aerosol insecticides in your house, and taking certain antimalarial medicines
This is dummy text. It is not meant to be read. Accordingly, it is difficult to figure out when to end it. But then, this is dummy text. It is not meant to be read. Period.
ConversionConversion EmoticonEmoticon